“That”—Kitty paused, turned and pointed at Beth—“showed up at my house just now, full of all sorts of questions about Robbie. Now, as far as I know, Robbie barely knew her name, so why would she be interested in him? But then I remembered that you two are besties, aren’t you?”

Lindsey didn’t answer but just kept staring at her. Kitty looked even more angry. Maybe Lila was onto something with the penetrating stare.

“This really isn’t the place for this conversation, is it?” Lindsey asked.

“Oh, I think it’s perfect!” Kitty snapped. “Since you’re acting like a child and we’re in the children’s area. Suddenly, it all makes perfect sense.”

Lindsey felt a tug on her sleeve, and she turned to find Lila there. Lila motioned her close and Lindsey leaned over so Lila could whisper in her ear.

“Do you want me to turn her into a pumpkin for you?” she asked. “I’ve been practicing on my baby brother.”

Lindsey laughed. She put her arm around the girl and said, “I really appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble. Probably, you shouldn’t try to turn your brother into a pumpkin, either.”

“Stick to the dog?” Lila asked.

“Or maybe a chair,” Lindsey suggested.

Lila gave her a nod of understanding and went back to her mother.

“Kitty, if you want to talk, and by that I mean talk and not yell at me, we can go to my office,” Lindsey said.

“Fine.” Kitty glared.

Lindsey flashed back to the first day she’d met Robbie, when he’d said that when a woman says she’s fine, she is anything but. She wondered if he’d learned that from Kitty.

“Beth, do you mind taking the desk?”

“No, happy to,” Beth said. She looked immensely grateful to sit in her familiar chair in her natural habitat.

“Follow me, please,” Lindsey said as she led the way to her office.

They passed the circulation desk, where Ms. Cole was checking in a cart of books from the book drop. She glanced at Kitty with a disapproving look, and Lindsey felt oddly relieved that Ms. Cole disliked someone more than her for a change.

“Can I get you anything?” Lindsey asked as they went into her office. “Water? Coffee?”

Kitty gave her a suspicious look. “No, thank you. After Robbie . . . well, I swore I’d never drink anything that I didn’t know the point of origin for.”

“Understandable,” Lindsey said. “I do have sealed bottles of plain water.”

“Well, all right,” Kitty said grudgingly.

Lindsey went into the staff room and took two bottles out of her personal stash from the large refrigerator in the corner. She returned to find Kitty examining the pictures on the shelf behind her desk.

“Cute guy,” Kitty said. “Is he your boyfriend?”